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Decorated war hero chases his dream

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    Hopes to play college football

  • Duration 4:20
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Back it was a pact between friends made on the battlefield to pursue their dreams.

When they got out of the army but when sergeant Daniel Rodriguez -- -- friend and seven others get killed in one of the worst battles and Afghanistan.

-- -- to keep his end of the bargain now this 24 year old decorated war hero is chasing his goal of becoming a college football player.

There's forty Americans and we're overrun by 400 Taliban themselves home walking proof that you can overcome things great option.

And I just don't give -- Including.

I think -- bringing that attitude locker room that environment.

You don't -- That YouTube video and his inspirational story already catching the -- Of recruiters and joining us now former sergeant Daniel Rodriguez good to see a man it's so this was all about a promise you made to a fellow soldier tell us about.

Yes that's a place about we -- -- before the actual battle and down in Osaka and my friend Thompson.

And now we're disable we're gonna do we got out of the military in you know we're just saying to each other.

You know I'm gonna go home and do this -- they -- go back to swam and played football.

And -- should do it as -- we should do you you know set out for your priorities in no time has made a pact that we're gonna go out and not realists in the military and do another tour like that in.

He was killed a week later since it's one of those things normal mine and now so.

All right so how -- the experience you had on the battlefield.

And you know some of the impressive honors there were bestowed upon you.

How could that help you now as you try to become from a war hero to a college freshman on the -- field.

How does that experience help do you think I think that they relate.

Very similar as far as what motivational skills I can bring in a locker room as far as maturity.

Motivating those around me being a leader prior services I was.

-- I think the two men in -- work ethic that I have waking up every day.

And I just some maturity factor that can bring -- -- team can be beneficial both on and off the field.

Your dream is to play -- Virginia Tech you have not yet heard from them but you have heard from some other high profile schools.

Talk about your experience in football in high school you played a little bit of everything what is it.

That you love about football that made you make that promise to your friend and your fellow soldier what do you love.

About I absolutely just love.

Teamwork camaraderie the atmosphere under lights.

Hitting.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- And I now I have the potential possibility to make you know the stream reality hymns communities -- I think -- it's it.

In the YouTube video one of the things that really cut my was the work -- you were doing.

You brought back some of these things these techniques from the battlefield because you didn't have a whole fancy gym over there in Afghanistan.

How is that helped transform -- as an athlete I can see here obviously pretty -- here this morning to tell us about some of the things you didn't how that transformed you.

Again Afghans that we have anything -- this kind of one of those things a lot of body -- a lot of men simple dumb bells and stuff like -- has brought it back.

Into my daily workouts that I do now and it's really transforming at to my performance -- tip top shape so we're down about five hours a day.

And I just keep in the gym running sprints and everything outside -- -- this creative stuff.

And he has -- being a slot receiver in college football think Wes Welker folks that's who.

We have in mind here now this YouTube video is catching on and I want to talk about the transition from the battlefield back here.

You have a friend who has started a nonprofit.

That helps people with PT SD and making that transformation.

And it has to do with physical fitness how helpful is that tells about -- the it's I think physical fitness in the form of tearing or helping with PT -- is something that is.

It's very instrumental in very beneficial and it's team red white and blue.

Is an in the nonprofit organization.

And a phenomenal guys -- there in their mission statement is is overcoming.

Battle scars of physical fitness as opposed this you know -- -- on account moralists team red white and -- sergeant Daniel Rodriguez good luck we expect to see on the football field as well 44 year old freshman about it.

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